


Should've been us

by InLust



Series: Femslash February 2016 [4]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bar fights, F/F, Flirting, Fluff, Strangers to Lovers, Tending to Wounds, emt, meet cute, references everywhere, slight sadness, strangers in a bar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 21:02:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5943004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InLust/pseuds/InLust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skye meets a beautiful woman at the bar, but her luck isn't in the stars. Maybe one day, she'll be a beautiful girl who isn't taken...or straight for that matter.</p><p>Starts sad, ends happy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Should've been us

**Author's Note:**

> i got the prompt from my femslash bingo card "im with someone else, why didn't we meet sooner?"

Skye walks into the restaurant a bit earlier than she expects to. Usually, she is running a bit late because her shift runs over more often than not. For her it’s better late than canceling. 

The maitre’d asks her for a name and she’s assuming that it’ll be under May’s name considering she’d the only one with a regular schedule to call ahead. Finding out that the table isn’t reserved for another hour, he offers Skye to sit at the bar. 

She sends a quick text to her group before making her way to the bar.

**Skye** : i am here but the table isnt ready until 8...

**Skye** : did you guys just assume I’d be late?

**Bobbi** : it was may’s idea

**Melinda** : yes

**Skye** : you guys are assholes

**Melinda** : be there soon, just wrapping up things in the office

**Bobbi** : got out of a surgery late; i’ll be skye this dinner

The EMT can’t even dignify a response to Bobbi’s last text. This was the price of having friends who had very important careers. Not to say her work wasn’t important but compared to them? Let’s just say they all save lives in their own ways.

When Skye looks up, she sees a beautiful brown haired girl sitting at the bar sipping out of a martini glass. Maybe having assholes as friends has its perks. As she walks closer, she can make out the subtle pattern on her dark dress, not to mention the neckline that sinfully plunges. 

Skye almost wants to sit on the other side of the bar because she’s intimidated by this beautiful woman. She’s wearing slacks and a button up with her oxfords because that was as good as she wanted to dress for dinner. 

“Two of what she’s having,” Skye says to the bartender as she slides into the seat next to the woman. 

The woman immediately speaks up, “Oh no! I can’t have you do that,” her English accent makes Skye smile, “I really just need one.”

“Actually, they’re both for me,” Skye jokes. It’s her first day off in 10 days and she feels like she could have some fun. Why not flirt with a random woman at a restaurant? She watches as the woman’s face turns red before she lets out a small laugh. “I am just kidding.” 

“You really don’t have to,” the woman says sheepishly as she lifts her glass. “I already have one.”

The bartender returns with two martini glasses and Skye hands him her card to leave the tab open. 

“I insist, considering it’d be pretty lonely to drink by myself,” Skye says.

“I am actually waiting for someone,” the woman almost sounds unsure as her eyes glance at the door.

“Asshole friends that assume you’re going to be late?” Skye takes a sip of her drink because the woman just gets more beautiful the longer she stares. She really wants to quell her nerves. 

The woman actually laughs before nodding her head. “Yes, actually, well  _ one  _ asshole,” she responds as she finishes off her first drink and cross her legs. Her short locks fall and block her face that it makes Skye want to push it aside. “Although, my work is very demanding, you’d think that people understand lateness comes with the job.”

“ _ Exactly _ ! People need to get it together,” Skye agrees almost immediately. Being an EMT isn’t easy; especially because Skye dedicates almost too much time to her job. Luckily, at least May and Bobbi understand the most, being a detective and surgeon. It takes them weeks before they schedule something. “What do you do…?”

Skye leaves the question open so she can get her name. 

The woman immediately shoots out her hand, “I’m sorry, my name is Jemma.”

“Pretty name. I’m Skye,” she says as she shakes her hand. There’s a tinge of electricity that she feels at her fingertips but tries to ignore it. She’s just meeting this pretty girl for the first time. They don’t know anything about each other. 

Jemma glances at their hands before shaking her head and letting go. She takes a breath before sipping at her drink.

Skye reaches for her drink too. _ That was weird.  _ As she sips, she asks, “So what do you do, Jemma?” Her name just rolls off her tongue so easily. 

Jemma looks like she is about to choke on her drink because she doesn’t expect the question and Skye just giggles.  _ Alright she’s cute.  _

“I work as a project manager for biochemists at the Hydra Pharmaceuticals.”

Skye playfully makes a face. “Hydra Pharmaceuticals? The evil corporation?” she can’t help but joke, secretly hoping it doesn’t strike a nerve.

“Oh, you’re telling me,” Jemma exhales with a relieved sigh. She leans in conspiratorially, “Between you and me, I’m leaving the company for a better job.”

“Oh how scandalous!” Skye raises her glass for a cheers before taking another sip. 

“What do you do, Skye?” 

“I work for SHIELD EMS,” Skye says sitting a bit straighter. She has a lot of pride in her job. “I guess you can say I save lives for a living.”

Jemma beams at this and it makes Skye swell. “That’s a very great profession. You seem very happy about it.”

“I am,” Skye says softly into her glass.

She doesn’t know if it’s the alcohol that makes the conversation go by so smoothly. But she finds that sitting with Jemma, she can talk about anything and everything. 

\-----

“Guilty pleasure? Arrow.”

“No way, you  _ too _ ? That show is  _ awesome _ !”

\-----

“You can’t be serious. That’s not part of your job is it?”

“I mean no, but the kid wouldn’t stop trying to climb out of the ambulance if he didn’t know Coco was safe. So I climbed a  _ tree  _ and got Coco to safety.”

“What a hero.”

\-----

“Oh lord, Hydra pharms are so finnicky. I swear it’s like they  _ want  _ me to work overtime to fix their problems.”

“That’s because they know you’re the best at your job.”

\-----

They finish their first round and Jemma offers to buy the second. They continue to talk and talk. It just doesn’t seem to end. Skye doesn’t really want it to and Jemma shines so brightly when she listens to Skye, the feeling is mutual. 

“I am glad you sat next to me, Skye,” Jemma says with her cheek tinted pink. 

Skye leans against the bar with a curious look on her face. “I am too,” she admits. 

Jemma bites her lips that Skye unconsciously licks hers. Jemma glances at the clock behind her and sees that 45 minutes have already gone by. Her face drops minutely, but she looks at Skye like she’s almost relieved. 

Skye knows the signs. She knows when to make her move.  _ Maybe, I should ask for her number. Or maybe we should leave. _

“Do you wanna g--” Skye’s question is interrupted by another presence. 

“ _ Sorry, I’m late _ ,” another accent causes Skye to sit up straight. “You wouldn’t believe what the intern did.”

Skye watches as a man with a bit of curly hair, scruff, and amazingly pair gingham shirt and striped tie appears. Her heart sort of hurts because he comfortably places a hand on Jemma’s waist and kisses the side of her mouth affectionately. The look on Jemma’s face is almost disappointed as she returns the kiss with obligation and her eyes remain on Skye.

When the man pulls back, Skye realizes that he’s sort of dorky in an adult sort of way. She notes that he’s put together and paid because the wrist on his watch is probably a month of Skye’s pay.

He notices Skye and greets her, “Hi, I’m Fitz, the lovable late boyfriend.”

Of course a beautiful girl like Jemma would be taken.  _ Well...that...fucking...sucks _ . Skye shakes his hand, “I’m Skye, just a stranger at the bar.”

Jemma kind of looks sadly at her. “She was keeping me company,” she says to Fitz as she slips out of her chair. “A wonderful conversationalist.”

“As am I,” Fitz seems to take offense to it as he reaches for Jemma’s jacket. “Ready for dinner?” He’s already calling the maitre’d to show them their table.

“Of course,” Jemma breathes out. There’s a weight in her voice like she doesn’t want to go and it’s bugging Skye. Especially, when their eyes meet, because Jemma’s almond colored eyes are still shining at Skye. “I hope you save many more lives, Skye.”

“Maybe it could be yours one day,” Skye says as a weak joke. 

Jemma leaves her with a soft smile. Skye watches as Fitz wraps his arm around her waist before they follow the maitre’d. Jemma smiles at something Fitz says but she glances back one more time at her before they turn the corner.

Skye deflates in her seat as they disappear. She tries not to let the feeling linger. They were just strangers, after all. She knows her luck with beautiful women too. Most of them are straight or taken. In this case, both. But she could’ve sworn...they just  _ clicked _ .

“Hey there, stranger,” Melinda comes up behind her, still dressed in her suit from work. She looks at Skye very briefly but still knows somethings up. “What’s wrong?”

Skye shakes herself out of the reverie in the form of Jemma. “Nothing...much,” before she steels herself with a smile, “it’s about time you showed up! I was getting drunk without you.”

Melinda raises an eyebrow at her. “Really? You get drunk off  _ martinis _ ?” Skye shoots her a cheeky smile. They both know Skye’s go to is whiskey. “Come on, you can tell me all about your drink mate.” 

Skye’s eyes widen. “How do you do that??” It never ceases to amaze her how Melinda is so perceptive.

The detective reaches past Skye before plucking something from underneath the empty glass, Jemma’s empty glass, “Dr. Jemma Simmons.” She hands Skye the business card.

Dr. Jemma Simmons. Skye smiles at the card before standing up. Maybe in another life. “Let me tell you about this girl that nothing is going to happen with.”

“Oh really, why is that?” Melinda jokes as she hails the maitre’d to lead the way. 

“Because she’s totally out of my league. Amazingly smart. And totally  _ straight _ ,” Skye explains enthusiastically. She learns to roll with the punches because it’s very rare things work out for her. 

“That sounds  _ exactly  _ like your type.”

Skye rolls her eyes. “She has a  _ boyfriend _ ,” she deadpans as they sit down. There’s still a tug in her heart but she smiles nonetheless.

“Doesn’t matter, still your type,” Melinda says as she unfolds the fabric napkin onto her lap.

“What did Skye do now?” Bobbi suddenly appears, looking stunning her blue dress and hair down out of her ponytail.

“Excuse me, why do you assume _ I _ did something?” Skye mocks offense. 

Bobbi looks to May for an answer. Melinda smirks, “She met  _ someone _ .” Bobbi looks impressed at Skye. “But she’s straight and has a boyfriend.”

Bobbi cringes. “ _ Ouch _ , talk about star-crossed.”

Skye rolls her eyes. “It’s not even anything big. I was just talking to this girl at the bar, while I was waiting for you assholes.”

“Hey, don’t be cranky at us because she’s taken,” Melinda teases. 

“She’s smitten,” Bobbi relays to Melinda, who promptly agrees with the nod of her head. “You can hear it in her voice.”

“Tell her about the card,” the detective prods before opening up the wine menu as the waiter comes by. “Waters all around and a bottle of merlot.”

“What card?”

Skye rolls her eyes. “She left her business card.”

“ _ Oooh _ ,” Bobbi looks scandalized. “Are you going to call her?”

“No,” she tries not to sound defeated. She knows herself better now that she’s been single for awhile. “I don’t want to get caught up in any drama.  _ Maybe in another life _ .” She lets out a wistful sigh.

“What? You would enjoy the drama?” Melinda quips. “Or you two would be together?”

Bobbi throws her head back with a cackle. The waiter reappearing with the bottle of wine almost looks terrified to approach.

“Alright, you  _ assholes _ , time to catch up on drinking with me,” Skye orders as she picks up her glass. “We can worry about my  _ nonexistent  _ love life later.”


	2. surprisingly relentless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "will you stop flirting with me you just got seriously injured and i’m the EMT trying to tend to your wounds in the ambulance, i don’t give a fuck that i look cute when i’m concerned, you’re lucky you’re not dead you dipshit” au

Skye wonders if this shift is going to finish as smoothly as she’d like to. After a three days doing double shifts, she’s ready to just about crash. It’s a wonder she even makes it to the gym on the time she’s supposed to be sleeping. 

“Got an hour left, what’s the worst that can happen?” Mack asks her from the driver’s seat. He’s doing a crossword as Skye sips at her lukewarm coffee. 

Skye stares at the dispatch radio. A beat goes by and there’s nothing that calls out to them. 

“You’re gonna jinx us dude,” she scolds with a slap at his shoulder. 

There’s a rustle from the back before Lincoln pops his head between their seats. “An explosion in the dead of night because of ne’erdowells.”

Skye rolls her eyes. “Come on, there’s a higher chance of a bar fight. It’s almost closing time.”

“Hmm…” Mack begins as he closes his crossword. “Barfight. Girl or guy?”

“Guy, definitely dudes at this hour,” Lincoln instantly chimes in. 

Skye purses her lips and thinks about it for a second. “Maybe a girl, if we’re going to bet on it,” she says.

“What’s the bet?” Mack begins to instigate playfully.

“Covering one of my damn shifts,” Skye instantly puts out there. She can’t help it, she needs a day off sooner than she realize. 

The dispatch goes off, sending an address and basic details of the injured. Their van is the closet and Lincoln smirks because he knows it’s a bar he regularly goes to.

“I’ll take that bet,” Lincoln says before jumping back. 

Mack rolls his eyes as Skye smirks. He starts the engine before peeling out of the spot. 

When they get to the scene, Skye grimaces because there are two police cars and another ambulance on sight. Not to mention, she does recognize it as a bar that Lincoln frequents. 

The annoyance and exhaustion are quickly pushed to the back of her mind as she hops out, hearing Lincoln pop the back open. Her mind goes into autopilot, cursory glance at the scene, grab her bag, assess the scene for safety, check for the injured---

Luckily, through the milling of a few police officers, a man rushes up to them.

“Oy, could you help me out? My friend’s bleeding pretty badly,”  it’s an English guy addressing; he is a bit short to Skye and she can smell the strong scent of whiskey coming from him. 

He doesn’t wait for her and leads them to a bench just outside of the bar, where two police officers are standing in front of who Skye assumes is English boy’s friend. She can hear vague conversations about what happened at the scene.

“Ah, Officers Martinelli and Carter,” Skye greets as she interrupts their conversation. “I hope you’re done with your statements.”

“Daisy!” the short doe eyed officer with the tag Martinelli greets happily as she flips her notebook shut. 

There’s a stiff turn from the taller brunette, Carter, and she nods. “Johnson.”

Skye tries not to laugh at the way they greet her. 

“All yours,” Carter adds as she flips her notebook shut as well. “Ma’am, we will be in contact soon enough.”

Skye then realizes that the woman sitting on the bench is someone with whom she’s very familiar with. Her heart almost does leaps as the woman, sits up, gently cradling her bleeding arm, before lifting a bag of ice from her left eye. She wants to freak out but she tries to keep her cool. She needs to keep her cool. It’s just a beautiful girl she met  _ once _ . 

“Damnit,” Lincoln whispers next to her.

Skye glances at him. “I got this, why don’t you check on the guy.”

Lincoln just stares at her with a knowing look.

“Lance, I’m alright,” Dr. Jemma Simmons sighs out as she sits up straight with him pestering at her side.

“Sir, why don’t you come with me, Daisy’s got your friend,” Lincoln guides him to a spot nearby.

Jemma doesn’t notice her until she watches Lance go off, waving him to remind him that she’s fine. 

“Ma’am, my name is Daisy Johnson and I’m here to help you,” Skye keeps her professionalism as she places the bag down before Jemma and kneels down to inspect the injuries. She pulls out her light pen. 

Jemma’s eyes widen at the sight of Skye. Her cheeks are pink and Skye can smell the whiskey on her too. There’s an ear to ear smile on her face that sends flutters in Skye’s belly. 

“Skye!” she immediately greet happily before furrowing her brows. She winces because there’s a cut across her eyebrow as well. “Wait, did you say Daisy Johnson?”

There’s a slight slur in her words, so Jemma is definitely a bit tipsy. Skye is still trying to bite her lips from blurting out,  _ what the fuck happened?! _

Skye is a bit at ease as Jemma remains responsive to her light. She gently turns her head to look at the cut against her eyebrow. “I like going by Skye instead,” she informs casually. “You can call me whatever you want.”  _ Fuck, that’s deeper than she realizes, luckily she won’t need stitches.  _

“I like Skye a lot,” Jemma says as Skye takes her arm into her hands. She winces. 

“What the hell happened?” Skye blurts out as she sees the long gash across her forearm. There is a lot more blood than she initially thought and reaches for the materials in her bag to clean the wound. 

“Oh, you should see the other guy,” the scientist says almost cockily as she flexes her fingers. “At least it isn’t broken or any major injuries. I don’t even need stitches.”

Skye narrows her eyes. “Are you  _ kidding  _ me? Of course you need stitches, do you  _ not  _ realize how deep this is?” she snaps unexpectedly.

Skye has seen tons of lacerations, some worse than this, even broken bones sticking breaking the skin. There’s just this nagging feeling in her stomach that is actually concerned for Jemma. She tries to hold her breath before pulling out the gauze. 

“It was worth it,” Jemma goes on talking as Skye does her thing. Skye tries to ignore the fact that Jemma is blatantly inches from her, staring at her face as she tries to concentrate. “I hear that women adore scars.”

“Are you  _ flirting  _ with me?” Skye jerks her head up to meet Jemma’s face that are too close for comfort. 

Jemma smirks. For the life of Skye, she did not expect this from the sweet girl she met the week before. She is smirking blatantly at Skye. “Is it working?”

“You’ve gotta be  _ kidding  _ me,” Skye scoffs as she ducks her head to carefully wrap the wound, making sure that the bleeding is contained. It bothers her because why the hell is Jemma flirting with her, when she has a  _ boyfriend _ ? On top of that, they’re gonna need to bring Jemma to the hospital to get it stitched up, which means more time with her in the van. Her poor heart can’t deal with this hopefulness. 

“You know, I didn’t get a call from you,” Jemma says cheekily. She pushes herself to sit up straight with her other hand before wincing. 

Skye’s eyes widen, because Jemma’s other wrist is actually swollen. “What the hell?” She tries her best to quickly wrap the wound because it looks like Jemma’s other hand is worse than it looked initially. 

“I left you my card. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since last week.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Skye tries to stop her heart from pounding inside of her chest. “You have a boyfriend.”

Jemma purses her lips before shaking her head. “I broke up with him.” Skye tries not to think it was because of her, that’d be too egotistical. There’s this guarded look in Jemma’s eyes as she continues, “He wasn’t what I was looking for.”

Skye doesn’t say anything, trying to finish the dressing. She doesn’t want to put herself out there just yet.

“Skye?” Jemma says softly as Skye takes her other hand. Skye just grunts in response. “Did you know you look adorable right now?”

“What?” Skye deadpans as she looks up at Jemma’s face. The smile has returned to her face and Jemma looks like a puppy. Skye tightens her jaw to stop from smiling in return. 

“You do this thing, with your lips when you’re concentrating,” Jemma points out. “You bite it.”

Skye feels the heat rise up her back as she focuses on getting Jemma’s hand splinted to keep steady. “How does your hand feel?”

Jemma shrugs. “Hurts?” 

Skye rolls her eyes. 

“You know what would make it better?”

“What?”

“Kissing me.”

Skye internally screeches. “You are relentless,” she says coolly instead.

“I’ve been told that I have a hard time giving signals,” Jemma sighs out. “I figured, that we could cut the chit chat and I can tell you that I am interested in you.”

“As I am tending to your wounds?”

“Well, you did say you could save me one day.”

Skye lets out a smile at this because Jemma remembered that small detail from their conversation.

“How could I ever  _ thank  _ you?”

“You’re not going to stop are you?”

“What?” 

“Flirting with me.”

“Only if you tell me to stop.” Jemma takes a breath. “Do you want me to stop?”

“I am trying to concentrate on fixing you up.” 

“That’s  _ not  _ a no.”

Skye stands up suddenly. “Come on, we need to bring you to the hospital to get stitches.”

“I like it better when you play doctor,” Jemma says as she stands as well. She blinks a couple of times, finally realizing that maybe she’s lost a bit of blood. Or maybe even drunk.

“You are  _ relentless _ , doctor.”

**Author's Note:**

> more stuff at nocteverbascio.tumblr


End file.
